‘Ruling parties defiling democracy’

ISLAMABAD:

Criticizing the ruling coalition’s plans to amend the country’s anti-terror law to give additional powers to the law enforcement agencies (LEAs), JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the staff bearers of democracy are themselves defiling democracy in the country.
Talking to reporters on Monday at his residence in Islamabad, Fazl said once the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 was criticized for allowing the anti-graft body to detain a person for 90 days but now this power is being vested in the LEAs.
“Immense powers are being handed over to defence institutions, allowing them to detain anyone on suspicion for up to 90 days, with the possibility of extending this detention period.
“In my view, this is tantamount to establishing a civil martial law in the country, a stain on the face of democracy. I don't think that the PPP and the PML-N, champions of democracy and respect for the vote, should pass an act that tarnishes the face of democracy with their own hands.
“They should refrain from this. Democratic institutions cannot allow such laws,” he said.
The government on Friday presented a bill in the National Assembly seeking to revive the sunset clause of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997.
This clause will allow law enforcement agencies to not only pre-emptively detain a suspect for 3 months but also provide legal cover to sweeping powers for “more effective counterterrorism operations”.